


Ficlet 8

by A_bit_not_good_yeah, deadonarrival



Series: Way Over Yonder in the Minor Key [9]
Category: The Hobbit RPF
Genre: Angst, Dean has an ex, HERE HAVE SOME PLOT, Hurt/Comfort, Jealousy, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-22
Updated: 2018-12-22
Packaged: 2019-09-24 14:09:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,796
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17102054
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/A_bit_not_good_yeah/pseuds/A_bit_not_good_yeah, https://archiveofourown.org/users/deadonarrival/pseuds/deadonarrival
Summary: Jealousy, Dean has an ex; intro to Ben





	1. Ficlet 8A

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Part one is General Audiences; chapter tags: Jealousy, angst, Dean has an ex, HERE HAVE SOME PLOT

This is the first conference Dean has to go to without Aidan after they’ve been together. This one’s overseas so there’s a decent time gap and it’s a whole week long. A summit with workshops and mixers and lots of Dean’s friends and colleagues…and one of his exes.

Dean didn’t know that he would be there, so it kind of shocks him when the guy comes up out of nowhere and puts a hand on the small of his back and leans in to whisper “Long time, no see, doctor.”

He slightly curves into that hand at his back too, because he’s so used to Aidan doing that, and then he realizes it’s not Aidan and feels guilty as hell when he sees who it is. Dean’s too polite to completely brush him off but he’s really startled to see him. It’s been a few years. And it was an…explosive breakup.

Seeing Benedict again just brought back memories that Dean didn’t want to relive. He was the first man that Dean had—he just got in really deep with him. Too deep. Dean really had loved him, but seeing him again just reinforces the reason why he’s still kind of touchy around Aidan about some things. It had been three years since Ben but his ghost still lingered every time Aidan asked about Dean’s past. And if he’s honest, he’s also the reason Dean didn’t pursue Aidan earlier.

Aidan has no idea about him.

That is, until Dean mentions Ben about halfway through the conference. Just tells Aidan that an ex is there but won’t say anything else about it.

Which means Aidan is just stewing back at home the rest of the week. He is most definitely NOT jealous. He just happens to do a lot of cleaning while he’s at Dean’s house, and maybe alphabetizes all his DVDs, and rearranges his refrigerator. He may have also googled Benedict. And possibly started drinking after discovering that Benedict is this impossibly gorgeous motherfucker and there are pictures of him and Dean together.

Dean clearly goes for the tall, dark, and handsome type. Ben is tall, with all these dark curls and such a pretty mouth. When he sees him again, Dean is startled by how tall he is—taller than Aidan. He used to really push Dean to his limits. That low, silky voice, dark in his ear. He could talk Dean into anything. Tell him he loved him and slide long fingers up the inside of his thigh and Dean was putty in his hands. Dean didn’t even know if Ben really loved him during those three years. He might have. Dean doesn’t really want to know.

It was another five years before he met Aidan. The years between were scattered with a random assortment of one-night stands, full of starts and stops, but nothing that came close to Ben. And now Ben is standing in front of him, forcing him to talk.

Dean doesn’t want to talk to him. He really has no interest into looking at whatever they had because he has something good right now and he doesn’t need to examine the past that closely. But Ben is his contemporary and that does force a grudging need to communicate with him.

Honestly, Dean doesn’t mean to get drunk with him at one of the evening events. He doesn’t mean to rub it in Ben’s face that he’s happy. That he’s seeing someone who he really thinks the world of and fuck you very much, Ben.

He especially doesn’t plan on Ben touching him. Doesn’t plan on getting body checked against the wall and pinned in where he can’t move. And Ben is leaning in and whispering, “But can he make you feel like I could?”

Dean’s jaw is set, and he’s staring Ben down. “No, he makes me feel better than you ever did.”

Ben just chuckles and leans into Dean, nosing behind his ear to murmur low and dark, “He’s still an academic though. You always do fall for the ones who can hurt you. Probably just using you for something. For the extra set of hands in the lab, for a good reference, for a better grade…”

Dean’s breath catches and Ben pulls back to grin at him. “Oh, Dean…a student?” 

Dean finally pushes him away and as he shoves by, Ben grabs him by the arm, pulls him close, and smirks. “They’re so eager to please. God knows you were when you were in my class.”


	2. Ficlet 8B

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean has an ex pt 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part two is General Audiences; chapter tags: Jealousy, angst, Dean has an ex, hurt/comfort, HERE HAVE SOME PLOT

Ben can still get under Dean’s skin just as much as he did when they were dating. And Dean swore he’d never get involved with another teacher—or god forbid, a student—again. But then he met Aidan.

Why else would Dean be so cautious with Aidan? To be fair Dean didn’t date Ben until after he was out of his class. He was in a different department so it wasn’t a big deal. And they didn’t exactly have to hide their relationship. But it was still a bad idea, and Ben ended up taking things from Dean that were irreplaceable. Seeing him again just opens old wounds. So Dean doesn’t say anything. Doesn’t tell Aidan any of what happened at the conference, or about the past, but just mentions running into his ex.

“You ok?”

“Yeah…just jet lag.”

But Aidan knows better.

When Dean gets home, he’s still distant. Moody. Aidan finally drags it out of him and he’s playing it off like it’s not a big deal but Aidan knows him enough to know it’s not.

“What’s wrong? You’ve been quiet all week. You can tell me.” And Aidan is nuzzling close, kissing his jaw.

“Oh nothing. Just tired.”

“No come on. This is our bed. You can tell me. Please.”

“Nothing, really. I just—it. It shook me up seeing him is all. Ben.”

Dean feels Aidan tense a little bit at his name. “Did you talk to him?” Aidan is keeping his voice carefully neutral.

“Uh. Yeah a little. It wasn’t…I just didn’t really want to talk to him is all. Things didn’t…end well between us.”

“Oh. Well. What did he say?” Aidan is warm and solid, curled into Dean’s side and it strikes him that everything he needs is right here in this bed and the whole encounter with Ben feels like a bad dream. So he says, “It was stupid. We were both drunk and I was telling him about you and he just tried to get a rise out of me. He…well he tried to talk me into bed. And he said you were just using me.”

And that’s when Aidan loses it.

He’s furious. He’s…there are so many emotions warring inside him. The first thing Aidan feels is fear that Dean believed Ben about him. And then so much anger at this man he’s never met who is trying to take away the best thing he’s ever had. And then the tiniest tiniest doubt about Dean—did something happen between he and Ben at the conference? Did Dean want him still? The thought makes him sick.

He’s ranting and raving for awhile—how fucking dare he, what gives him the right, he doesn’t know anything—and then he turns on Dean and asks, “Did you believe him?”

“Well, no of course not, but—” and then Aidan’s temper just explodes. He’s holding Dean down and asking, “Did something happen? Did you fuck him?” and Dean is APPALLED, he’s SHOCKED, that Aidan could think such a thing and he’s about to say so when Aidan lets him go and whispers “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, I know you didn’t, I know. I just—he had his chance, you know? And he fucked it up, but Dean, I—I would never do that to you. I don’t know what he did, but it’s clear that he hurt you and I just couldn’t…If you think I could do that then I don’t know what we’re doing here.”

Dean pulls him into his lap and cradles his head on his shoulder and just keeps telling him “Shhh it’s ok. I only want you, Aidan. You’re the only one I ever want.”

And after Aidan calms down, Dean kisses him sweetly, and then says “We need to talk.”

After that Dean finally cracks about the relationship. About why it was a big deal and why he was hesitant to get together with Aidan because of it and how it ended. And Aidan just listens quietly. Doesn’t interrupt, doesn’t say anything. And when it’s over, he just nods solemnly and finally he says, “I’m glad you told me. And Dean—I’m not him.”

“I know you aren’t him, but I can’t shake what he did even if it has been five years. I—I loved him. I really thought he was an ok—no. Never mind.” And he sort of deflates. Because now Aidan knows his horrible dark secret and it’s not pretty.

It’s because there’s that part of him that’s not afraid of Aidan being Ben but of Aidan being Dean. Of Aidan getting hurt.

It’s also why he pushes Aidan so hard because he’s basically saying don’t be a let down like me, don’t fuck up like I did. Don’t settle for anything less than the best you are capable of producing and don’t settle for me. Do better.

It’s another reason Dean spoils him when he can. It’s not just because Aidan deserves it, it’s because in some tiny way Dean still wants to prove he’s good enough for Aidan, for as long as Aidan will have him.

And because—and he will never admit this to anyone, let alone himself—he wants to do better by Aidan than Ben did to him. To be a better boyfriend than Ben was. Give him the good things he deserves. Because he wishes so badly that someone had done that for him.


	3. Ficlet 8C

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean has an ex pt 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part three is rated Teen; chapter tags: Jealous, Dean has an ex, hurt/comfort, HERE HAVE SOME PLOT, NOW WITH BONUS MAKE UP SEX

Everything gets reopened when Ben gets invited to the college to oversee some of the ongoing research. He’s invited by the provost so it’s not something Dean has any say in or control over and he’s like oh good, just what I never wanted to happen. Ever. In a million years.

Dean begs Aidan ahead of time to please be on his best behavior and not say anything and that they have to be extremely careful. And Aidan seethes.

Ben figures it out immediately, of course. Dean’s tall dark TA who is brilliant with a stunning accent and long fingers and curly hair? Come on now. It doesn’t help that Aidan immediately dislikes him, and although he maintains a professional front, Aidan’s not knows for his subtlety when it comes to making his feelings known. It doesn’t help that Ben takes every opportunity to get in the lab with Aidan. To flirt with him. Worse, to flirt with him in front of Dean.

“Doctor Cu—” Aidan starts and Ben waves him off, lips curving into a smile.

“Just call me professor, thank you.” It makes Aidan’s skin crawl.

Dean doesn’t say anything to Ben about it because he can’t. If Ben rats them out…

Dean’s less concerned for his own job than he is for Aidan. And he might have been able to keep his mouth shut if Ben hadn’t decided to blatantly antagonize him.

“I can see why you like him so much. He’s not just a pretty face is he? Mm. You always did like the smart ones. Maybe even too smart.” He’s sitting on the edge of Dean’s desk, invading his space, and idly brushing his long, long fingers along Dean’s forearm.

Dean jerks his arm away. “Can I answer any questions about the research for you, Doctor?”

“Tsk tsk. So cut and dry….weren’t we friends once? Actually much more than friends if memory serves me…” and Ben is leaning close. Testing.

“I’d like to stay on topic.”

Ben leans even closer, his voice low and dark. “I changed the topic. Wasn’t it good, Dean? I do remember you fondly, you know. You and those breathy little sounds you make wh—” and Dean stands up, almost knocking his chair over.

“That’s ENOUGH.” He’s flushed and heated because he doesn’t need this. “Unless I can answer any of your academic inquiries, I think it’s best if you retired for the evening. Sir.”

Ben grabs him by the elbow and says “What about non-academic inquiries?”

Dean is glaring just as the door opens and it’s Aidan bringing in that day’s assignments and he kind of stands there stunned. He just stammers out an apology for walking in and watches Dean yank his arm away from Ben to take the papers. And Aidan’s hands are shaking a little and Dean wants to touch him but he can’t. So Aidan just kind of nods and leaves and Dean sets the papers on his desk and feels Ben’s hand on his back.

“Come get a drink with me.”

“I think you know why I can’t.”

“Why you won’t, you mean. You know he won’t be satisfied with your little secret arrangement forever, Dean.”

Dean shrugs him off and leaves, not saying a word. He goes home and Aidan isn’t there and he has a few drinks and then walks the block to Aidan’s studio and when he shows up he doesn’t even say anything, just pulls Aidan into a bruising kiss right on the front step and wraps an arm around him and runs his fingers right along the dip in Aidan’s back.

When Aidan pulls him in with a gasp, Dean is following him, backing him into his flat and kissing him breathless and every time Aidan isn’t kissing back for even a second, Dean is saying, “I love you” in this desperate voice.

Aidan isn’t saying anything because he just needs to keep hearing it, needs to hear Dean say it even more than he needs Dean inside of him.

They barely make it to the bed. Dean is intent, stripping them both down in a rush and collapsing onto the unmade blankets before he’s sliding his hand down Aidan’s thigh and hitching it up over his hip, nosing close to Aidan when he feels fingers tighten in his hair. And then he’s kissing him again, opening that plush mouth up with his own, tongue slipping just behind Aidan’s teeth and tracing the curves of his mouth and tasting him until Aidan is moaning and rolling up against him. He still doesn’t say anything other than Dean’s name as Dean kisses down his throat and sucks a dark mark into his skin with a possessive growl of ‘mine’ – his hands skating over Aidan’s body, pressing and claiming as he pants “baby I love you,” against Aidan’s mouth, and “I’m sorry you have to put up with him” and “I just want you, Aidan-just you.”

He’s upset and hyper possessive because he hates Ben hitting on Aidan and he knows Aidan feels the same way and it’s the only way he knows how to reassure him. And Aidan understands, he really does. He knows that they’re just stuck in a shitty situation but that Dean is trying to do the best he can. He really is.

Dean stays at Aidan’s flat until Ben is gone. He brings over extra clothes and refuses to hear any argument.

Once Ben leaves Dean relaxes a little, which helps put Aidan more at ease but there’s still a conversation that has to happen.

Aidan suspects Dean’s fear for him, that he’ll end up like Dean did and he’s honestly kind of mad about it. “Dammit, Dean, I’m an adult and I can make my own decisions and I choose YOU. Jesus how many times do I have to tell you, I don’t care if it’s difficult, I only want you. I know you want to protect me but I’m not you, Dean. If I get hurt then I get hurt—that’s my choice and you don’t get to take that away from me.”

Aidan stays at Dean’s house for a few nights after that. To show him he’s not going anywhere.

He doesn’t even tell Dean. Just, the day Ben leaves, Dean comes home from office hours and Aidan’s there making dinner and his stuff is a strewn about mess on his side of the bed. Normally that would irritate Dean but it’s such a welcome sight that he realizes he actually missed Aidan’s clutter and it makes his heart clench.

When he walks into the kitchen and sees Aidan chopping vegetables and humming, he just wraps his arms around Aidan from behind and fits his head over Aidan’s shoulder and watches him work.


End file.
